Everybody Else Is Making a Laptop Stand, So Why Can't I?

Or how I transformed a tray into a laptop stand.

We don't have TV, but we like to lay on a blanket and watch DVDs on the laptop.

This laptop stand will insure good stability and air flow.

So we have a new big laptop (they've become both big and cheap these days), and my worry is that the blanket could obstruct the laptop vents and lead it to overheat.

We also have a very nice and stylish looking tray, made of plywood and melamine. The designer thought it would look cool with only two raised edges (and I found it too). But the surface is very smooth and thus slippery. As a result, things slide too easily, and the tray is quite unusable, as such. (To find similar trays, see www.esprit.co.uk/, or www.cb2.com/family.aspx)

Fortunately, these two problems happened to nicely merge into a one solution.

Materials:

• four small screws
• wood sticks, of quite hard kind (beech, not pine)
• epoxy glue

Tools:

• saw, jigsaw (or power tool)
• sand block (or power tool)
• drill
• clamps
• screwdriver

Cut two sticks to "appropriate length" (fitting your computer) for the back, and one for the front.

Screw the back sticks together (pre-drill) to avoid bends, and stick them together with epoxy. Clamp them together.

Carefully and precisely drill holes on the sticks. Pre-drill the tray without damaging it (this is the only tricky step).

Screw the front and back sticks to the tray.

Cut the side sticks to desired length, glue them with epoxy to the front and back ones. Clamp and let well dry (er... polymerize). Unscrew from tray.

Mark rounded corners, and CAREFULLY saw them round.

Sand all corners.

Screw frame back to tray.

It can even serve as carrying tray for the mains adaptor, and an USB external hard disk.

Air flow is now optimal.

The tray can still serve its original purpose (in a slightly less stylish, but safer way).

That was my contribution to the 100+ laptop stands around here.  Thanks for reading.